History

Michigan is the only state that includes a prohibition on the death penalty in its constitution. Eugene Wanger was a young Republican delegate to the constitutional convention in the early 1960’s, and he drafted the capital punishment clause approved by state voters in 1963.

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WKAR's Scott Pohl talks with Eugene Wanger about his book "Fighting the Death Penalty."

The city of Lansing is commemorating an important event in labor history this weekend. On June 7th, 1937, businesses and factories in the city were shut down by what has come to be known as the Lansing Labor Holiday.

Wed. Apr. 19 at 9pm on WKAR-HD 23.1 | NOVA follows archeologists working to unearth Vilna’s lost temple, recover its treasures, locate hidden graves, and learn the truth of both its heroes ... and its traitors.

WKAR TV producer John J. Valadez is a Peabody award-winning filmmaker who has written, directed and produced many nationally broadcast documentary films. He speaks with WKAR's Brooke Allen about the film "The Chicano Wave" and its inspiration.

UPDATE: The former Francine Hughes has died in Alabama at the age of 69. See related story.

Forty years ago Thursday, Francine Hughes of Dansville entered the Ingham County Jail and confessed to setting her house on fire with her sleeping ex-husband inside. James “Mickey” Hughes had long abused the mother of three. Asleep in bed when the fire started, he died of smoke inhalation.